Dunhill Links :: Five stars worth a watch

A host of sports stars and celebrities will test their golfing prowess this weekend as Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and The Old Course at St Andrews jointly host the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

With free entry all weekend, if you’re making the journey to the East coast, here are five famous faces to watch out for.

Alfred Dunhill Links’ famous five

Fans are sure to turn out in large numbers to watch this young man from Holywood, Northern Ireland battle against the famous Old Course links. No, not Rory McIlroy, but Jamie Dornan, star of the eagerly awaited 50 Shades of Grey movie.

Critically acclaimed for his portrayal of serial killer Paul Spector in the BBC TV drama ‘The Fall’, Dornan is a big golf fan.

He may have landed the leading role in the movie adaptation of the franchise that sold over 100 million copies worldwide. But Dornan isn’t boasting ahead of tomorrow’s tee off. “I’d say your money’s safer with Rory,” joked the former Calvin Klein model. He begins the championship at Carnoustie with Danny Willett at 10:06am tomorrow. Picture courtesy of @TayloMadeTour

A three-time European Footballer of the Year who won three European Cups in-a-row with Ajax, Johan Cruyff is the player credited with the creation of ‘total football’. This year at the Dunhill Links, though, the Dutchman has a point to prove after he and Maarten Lafeber finished 143rd in last year’s event.

The former Barcelona boss is a Dunhill Links regular and plays most of his golf in El Montanya. This year, the pro charged with turning around the footballing icon’s form is fellow Dutchman Daan Huizing. He and Cruyff are off at 9: 55 in the morning with ex footballer Michael Ballack and Germany’s Marcel Siem at St Andrews.

It seems Hugh Grant loves the golf course just as much as the movie set. The veteran rom-com actor is a member of Royal St George’s, Sunningdale and The Wisley here in the UK, not to mention Deepdale on Long Island, New York and Spain’s Valderamma.

In the Alfred Dunhill Links, the Golden Globe winner’s best memory is an eagle two at the 10th hole on the Old Course on his way to a round of three-over-par. His worst? Putting into a burn from the 16th green at Kingsbarns on live TV and watching his ball being carried out to sea.

He’ll be hoping all that golf will stand him in good stead this weekend as he is paired with last year’s winner David Howell. The English duo set out at 11:12am at Carnoustie tomorrow morning.

Huey Lewis and the News were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s. Hits such as ‘The Power of Love’ have stood the test of time and their 1983 album Sports sold more than 10 million copies in the US alone.

But how is he on a golf course? Well, if his 33 on the back nine at Pebble Beach in the AT&T Pro-Am is anything to go by, the answer is not too bad at all. This year will be his seventh at the Dunhill Links and he’s partnered with young American Peter Uihlein. They tee off at 10:17am at Carnoustie.

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne returns to Scotland and the Dunhill Links for the eighth time tomorrow. Now a TV cricket annalist, the 45-year-old will looking to improve upon his 97^th place finish at last year’s event.

The spin bowler took over 1,000 wickets in his career. However, the Aussie is capable of impressive spin on the greens as well as the crease as he proved last year after shooting two-under-par 70 on the Old Course at St Andrews. He teams up with fellow Aussie Brett Rumford at 11:01am on St Andrews tomorrow, looking to recapture some of last year’s magic.